Should Rush Limbaugh be allowed to broadcast his political hatred

[Bandit]

on Armed forces Radio? I don't care what he says or does in the general public after all he has that right but does anyone have the right to politicize the military, especially by calling Liberals traitors and enemies of America? The military is for every single American, not just Republicans and I am totally opposed to Rush having his propaganda given free reign on Armed Forces Radio. I don't want equal access to politicize, I want zero politicization. I want Rush off AFR and hope now that Democrats have control of Congress they will see how damaging such propaganda is. They get enough propaganda from mainstream media. It isn't that they need to be informed, they are, they just don't need such political brainwashing...They are for All Americans and not just the War Mongering ones.....

[Parche]

1. radio

I dont think he should be able to spew on armed forces radio
His show yes, but not on something that goes out to our troops.
They have enough to deal with in Iraq then to listen to his hate.

[Richardo]

2. On a tangent: Did Ed Schultz ever get on AFR?

He was supposed to back in 2004 I think.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. The impact he has can be very destructive...he is so polarizing -

my good moderate to slight left leaning friend can listen to him and laugh - I cannot listen to him, because I end up considering the vast audience of his taking his spewing, vile hatred seriously. I know you need to know your enemy, but I am afraid I just can't bring myself to go there!

[JavDom]

22. I don't know how anyone can listen to him

It makes me question a large portion humanity when there are so many who listen to and agree with his rantings. What's wrong with them?

[niyad]

4. since the american taxpayers are paying for this service, I say NO frigging way, UNLESS,

of course, they also broadcast "democracy now" and other such commentators. of course we know THAT isn't going to happen, so NO WAY.

on second thought, NO WAY--that sort of ugligness and hatred has absolutely NO BUSINESS being supported by the government and force-fed to our military.

[warrens]

5. Well, since he's an admitted liar and drug addict

No.

[Webster Green]

6. Yes, but they should also get to hear Mike Malloy..

Freedom of speech is a good thing, but its kind of one sided these days.

I think Ed Shultz is still heard on Armed Forces Radio.

[sui generis]

7. Yes and no

Yes if there is equal time for opposing views. No, because there isn't.

[catabryna]

17. This is my position as well... (n/t)

[Ian David]

8. Not with MY tax dollars!

All he does is inflame the rest of the world against us.

The same goes for The 700 Club.

[Caution]

9. Yes. But not via ASR.

[ThomWV]

10. He Has The Same 1st Amendment Rights As You, Me, And The Soldiers

like it or not ....

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Not A First Ammendment Issue, Thom

The government cannot inhibit free speech, but they are under no obligation to provide a venue, either. And, since this is a gov't venue, and it's FUNDED by the gov't, they have no obligation at all, first ammendment notwithstanding, to air his show on AFR.
The Professor

[SoCalDem]

13. I have no issue with him being ON the radio, BUT

when the military PUSHES his show and excludes opposing viewpoints, they are wrong.

I know it's done to keep the soldiers voting republican and keeping their "kick-ass" attitude, but does Rush tell them every day how HE evaded the "other war" because of cysts on his ass?

They need to know that too, don't they?

Personally, I would prefer that ALL politics be kept off AFR.. Play sports , music, comedy..but keep the other stuff OFF that particular venue./

These days, soldiers have access to the internet(s), and can find out the real news..

[FormerDittoHead]

15. Exactly. The military is not a democracy. They don't program via "ratings"... n/t

[CoffeeCat]

12. This nation needs to serious evaluate...

...the effect of venomous, right-wing HATE radio---in general!

Last night, I was listening to Michael Regan, and I was so thoroughly disgusted. These hatemongers
are not about opposing viewpoints. This isn't about conservatives discussing their issues
within the realm of healthy debate. This is about the endless parade of HATE, LIES and sickening
fear disseminated by these squawking sociopaths.

Last week, I heard Rush Limbaugh and one of his callers discussing how liberals HATE THE MILITARY, "They
hate our troops Rush. They hate them so much!". Limbaugh agreed and launched into a hot-air diatribe
based on the lie that liberals "hate the troops." I'm just so damn sick and tired of this bullshit!

Michael Reagan and one of his guests began a diatribe with the sentence, "Most of liberals are out to turn
the country into a communist state..." They banter and converse--as if they're hate speech means nothing.
They're just two chaps talking about how liberals hate America, love terrorists and hate America, "The problem
is," said Regan, "that liberals hate George Bush more than they love America."

Again, I am so fed up with the lies and the absurd, sick, twisted, FALSE assumptions on which ALL of these
HATE FILLED shows operate. There are so many of them and they are sickening poison. It's like a cancer
on our country!!! All they do is lie and base entire hours of blathering on HATE-FILLED NEGATIVITY AND SICK
ILL-INFORMED POISON!!

I'm all for conservatives and liberals engaging in healthy debate. Opposing viewpoints are healthy and should
lead to diplomatic, healthy discussions. We CAN work together! We ALL LOVE AMERICA! We all love our children
and want to succeed and be healthy, happy and at peace!

This endless parade of lies and divisive bullshit is SO unproductive and unhealthy. It's immature and it only
incites hate, bigotry and fear. It's just awful!!!!

/rant off (Sorry. I'm just SICK of this)

[bowens43]

14. yes

[KingFlorez]

16. No

I think that he is too inflammatory to air on a government funded radio station. It's not like it's a private station or something.

[DemoDemoCratCrat]

18. Yes!

AFR is for the entertainment of the troops; to provide what they would listen to if they were back home. Content is determined by volume of requests from the troops and availability only. If that's what they want to listen to, fine.

[DemoDemoCratCrat]

19. from the AFR FAQ on the subject:

Q: Why do you continue to air the Rush Limbaugh program?
A: Popularity with American listeners plays an important part in determining what’s on American Forces Network radio. Mr. Limbaugh’s show continues to be the number one nationally distributed radio program in the United States, which he provides at no cost to us or the American taxpayer. In that we reflect American radio, we include Mr. Limbaugh’s program in our schedule. We do not censor content and we do not seek to protect our overseas Department of Defense audience from hearing views with which they may disagree. Our mission is to offer program choices, which include four political talk shows (i.e. one hour of the Rush Limbaugh show, one hour of the Ed Schultz show, one hour of the Sean Hannity show and one hour of the Al Franken show). To review the balance we strive to achieve via the totality of our radio and TV schedules, please visit http://www.myafn.net.

[BOSSHOG]

20. ON THE OTHER HAND

When I was on active duty I was mostly apolitical. I listened to limbaugh almost everyday back in the late 80's and early 90's on my drive home. Pre-rush I wasn't very interested in politics. Post-limbaugh, I'm a flaming fucking faux news hating, bush despising liberal democrat. So there may some value to his rantings. Although If the DOD were concerned with fairness, they might want to pair him up with, lets say Randi Rhoades every day. Now wouldn't that be the daily ass whupping from heaven?

[Canuckistanian]

21. Now there's an idea

Have Randi on right after Rush to clean up the mess he makes. It'll be just like the old days for Randi who used to do this at the same Florida station as the Pigboy.

[BOSSHOG]

23. I was thinking of have them

on the same show. Kinda like Hannity and Colmes only with much more liberal testosterone. She's whup his ass. He wouldn't last a week.

[Canuckistanian]

26. He'd never agree to it. He's a waddling ego.

That's why he rarely has guests other than cautious politicians.

They might either upstage him or contradict him or (gasp) correct him.

[Minnesota_Lib]

24. I believe in free speech, so yes he should...but they need to reverse the ruling

..that allowed for consolidation of the public airwaves into the hands of a few corporations with strong agendas.

On a related note, my cable company (it was Time-Warner but was recently changed to Comcast) carries numerous talk radio programs that you can listen to on your TV. I think there are like four channels devoted to this that run 24/7. I have yet to find a single liberal...or moderate...voice in the lot. They are all right-wing loons (Savage, Bill Bennet, Medved, Liddy and so on). Now that pisses me off to no end.

Oops..I was just checking and found Thom Hartmann (listening now). Woot! I don't know if he was recently added (maybe after Comcast took over) or if I have just checked at the wrong times, but at least there is one opposing view to the right-wing broadcast onslaught on my cable.

[SoCalDem]

27. My son had comcast, and CBC was on their channel list

I wish Dish had CBC (canadian Broadcast Co)

[Orsino]

25. A balanced diet is allowed a little junk food.

I don't advocate censoring Rush. He should just be put in context with a variety of other viewpoints.

[133724]

28. Two limpBalls types of radio announcers were tried in

Bosnia for war crimes. I think that they were convicted.

they were accused of inflaming the serb/croat hatred which resulted in numerious murders; death and torture.

I think limpBalls is good canditate for the hague. the precident goes back to WW II when the owner of a major news chain was tried & convicted at nuremburg....